Chiotilla, Jiotilla
Escontria chiotilla

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

A cactus. This is the only species in the Genus Escontria. The fruit is sweet, edible and very delicious with a gooseberry flavour. It is used in marmalade and ice cream and as a juice. It makes a good living fence.

Escontria chiotilla is an evergreen Perennial growing to 7 m (23ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 7

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant growing in deciduous forest and xerophyllous scrub tropical. It grows in arid places. It occurs in areas with a temperature of 25°C and a rainfall of 1,340 mm.

Mesoamerica. Mexico (Puebla, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Guerrero).

Conservation Status: Status: Least Concern

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Mexico, North America, USA

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Edible Portion: Fruit. The purple fleshy fruit are eaten fresh. They are also used in marmalade and ice cream. They are also used for juice. The fruit are also dried and said to have a gooseberry flavour. They are sold in Tehucan markets under the name geotilla and tuna .

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

Carbon Farming Solutions - Agroforestry Services: living fence (Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland). Fodder: bank.

Fencing: Plants that can be used for fencing.

Fodder: Food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them) rather than forage for themselves.

Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.

Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.

Fodder: Bank: Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Climate: tropical highlands. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. Full Sun to Partial Shade. Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping. Soil pH: 6.1 (mildly acidic) to 7.8 (mildly alkaline). Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Seed - direct sow after last frost. Seed Collecting: Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds. Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds. Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 9-11

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Sharp spines

Its other names

Local names

Chiotilla, Jiotilla, Quiotilla, Chiotilla Cactus, Geotilla fruit, Tuna fruit

Synonyms

Cereus chiotilla F.A.C. Weber. Myrtillocactus chiotilla (F.A.C. Weber) P.V. Heath